As a class, Room 221 will write a reflection entry each week. This will give us lots of practice to make our writing the best it can be. Check out this week's entry.
In Media, we learned how to put last names in alphabetical order. Everybody got to be the librarian and everyone got to be books. While some children were librarians, the other kids pretended to be books. The “books” had the first three letters of the child’s last name on it. The librarian would move the books around to put them in the right order. If two people’s names began with the same letter, we’d look at the second letter.
by Room 221 Authors
Friday, September 30, 2011
Reflection Letters
Hopefully your child will come running through the door today excited to share their newly written reflection letter with you. If not, it can be found in a spiral notebook in the backpack slung over their shoulder... :o) Each Friday students will brainstorm a list of the activities and lessons we learned throughout the week. Students will use these ideas to write a letter home about one or two of their favorite lessons. In third grade, this takes a LOT of practice! We work on our letter writing skills for the entire school year.
Each week there will be FCAs (Focus Correction Area) based on what has been taught and what the kids are practicing. These FCAs make it clear to the students what my expectations are. This week's FCAs for the letter were:
Topic sentence - This sentence should be towards the beginning of their letter. It should tell the reader what the paragraph is about.
3+ specific details - Third grade writers should include 3 specific details telling about their topic. The details and the topic sentence should be about the same thing.
Capitalization and punctuation - Third grade writers should begin every sentence with a capital and end every sentence with punctuation.
As we learn and grow you will see lots of progress and improvement in our letters. Eventually you will see the FCAs change as we work on more sophisticated skills and techniques.
Please read and respond to these letters if possible. Students look forward to hearing from you and it is a great way to model writing a friendly letter, which is a component of the 3rd grade curriculum.
Happy writing! :o)Melanie
Each week there will be FCAs (Focus Correction Area) based on what has been taught and what the kids are practicing. These FCAs make it clear to the students what my expectations are. This week's FCAs for the letter were:
Topic sentence - This sentence should be towards the beginning of their letter. It should tell the reader what the paragraph is about.
3+ specific details - Third grade writers should include 3 specific details telling about their topic. The details and the topic sentence should be about the same thing.
Capitalization and punctuation - Third grade writers should begin every sentence with a capital and end every sentence with punctuation.
As we learn and grow you will see lots of progress and improvement in our letters. Eventually you will see the FCAs change as we work on more sophisticated skills and techniques.
Please read and respond to these letters if possible. Students look forward to hearing from you and it is a great way to model writing a friendly letter, which is a component of the 3rd grade curriculum.
Happy writing! :o)Melanie
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Self Portraits
We successfully recreated our skin color today using tempera paint. Thanks so much to Ruby Chan Talcoff for helping to keep things running smoothly!
On Friday, we will use our painted paper to create self portraits in collage. If you have any yarn that would be a suitable color to use as hair, please send it in. We would appreciate it. Fabric scraps are welcome as well.
Thanks for your support!
:o)Melanie
On Friday, we will use our painted paper to create self portraits in collage. If you have any yarn that would be a suitable color to use as hair, please send it in. We would appreciate it. Fabric scraps are welcome as well.
Thanks for your support!
:o)Melanie
Monday, September 26, 2011
Reading Logs
As you may know, third graders are responsible for reading at least 20 minutes each night. This homework is essential because readers learn to read by reading.
In addition to this reading time, third graders in Room 221 are asked to record what they are reading on a reading log. Unlike other logs you may be familiar with, children do not need to record specifically what they read each night. They only need to record when they begin or complete a new book.
For example, if I began reading a new book Friday evening, I would write:
Good Work, Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish
Perhaps I don't finish reading the book until Saturday. On Saturday, I would NOT begin a new entry. I would add to the first entry, including the genre, the date the book was completed and whether the book was easy, just right or challenging. The final entry should look like this:
Good Work, Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish
F (for fiction) 9/24/11 JR (just right)
A title should only be listed on the reading log once, unless a child has read it more than once.
As you may know, I will collect all reading logs each Friday (even if they're not filled up). I will return them the following Monday. Room 221 readers should continue recording their reading on the same log until it is filled up. At which time they can get a new one in class.
Thanks for your cooperation. As always, don't hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.
In addition to this reading time, third graders in Room 221 are asked to record what they are reading on a reading log. Unlike other logs you may be familiar with, children do not need to record specifically what they read each night. They only need to record when they begin or complete a new book.
For example, if I began reading a new book Friday evening, I would write:
Good Work, Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish
Perhaps I don't finish reading the book until Saturday. On Saturday, I would NOT begin a new entry. I would add to the first entry, including the genre, the date the book was completed and whether the book was easy, just right or challenging. The final entry should look like this:
Good Work, Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish
F (for fiction) 9/24/11 JR (just right)
A title should only be listed on the reading log once, unless a child has read it more than once.
As you may know, I will collect all reading logs each Friday (even if they're not filled up). I will return them the following Monday. Room 221 readers should continue recording their reading on the same log until it is filled up. At which time they can get a new one in class.
Thanks for your cooperation. As always, don't hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.
The Colors of Us
This morning, Room 221 listened to "The Colors of Us" by, Karen Katz. It's a story of a young girl's walk through her neighborhood as she notices the beautiful and unique shades of each person's skin. She returns home to mix white, black, red and yellow paint to recreate each skin tone and paint portraits of her friends.
The young girl connects the shades of skin to many familiar foods. "My mom's the color of french toast... Sonia is a light yellow brown, just like creamy peanut butter..." I challenged children to find foods in the kitchen that remind them of their own skin. Alejandro even suggested you could look in nature too! Let us know what you find!
Tomorrow, 221 artists will mix paint to find their own, unique skin color. They will paint the shade onto a plain piece of paper which they will use to cut out their face and create their self portrait in collage. We will notice and celebrate the difference of each one.
The young girl connects the shades of skin to many familiar foods. "My mom's the color of french toast... Sonia is a light yellow brown, just like creamy peanut butter..." I challenged children to find foods in the kitchen that remind them of their own skin. Alejandro even suggested you could look in nature too! Let us know what you find!
Tomorrow, 221 artists will mix paint to find their own, unique skin color. They will paint the shade onto a plain piece of paper which they will use to cut out their face and create their self portrait in collage. We will notice and celebrate the difference of each one.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Homework
Yesterday, your child received a packet of math papers. Your child will receive a similar packet each week. It will be distributed on Friday and due the following Friday. (They are welcome to return it whenever they complete it however.)
The pages are double-sided. You may have noticed that one side of each sheet says "practice," the other says "enrichment." Third grade mathematicians are responsible for completing 3 pages (sides) each week. They can choose which 3 sides they would like to complete. Children who would like a challenge can choose the "enrichment" side. Children who need to practice the original lesson can choose the "practice" side. Some children asked if they could finish more than 3 sheets. They are welcome to complete as many as they would like, but they are only required to complete 3.
*Please note: Rosh Hashanah begins Wednesday evening. I suggested that children who celebrate this holiday finish their math homework earlier in the week. However, I do not want the packet to get in the way of people honoring the holiday. So, if this is an issue, please let me know.
The pages are double-sided. You may have noticed that one side of each sheet says "practice," the other says "enrichment." Third grade mathematicians are responsible for completing 3 pages (sides) each week. They can choose which 3 sides they would like to complete. Children who would like a challenge can choose the "enrichment" side. Children who need to practice the original lesson can choose the "practice" side. Some children asked if they could finish more than 3 sheets. They are welcome to complete as many as they would like, but they are only required to complete 3.
*Please note: Rosh Hashanah begins Wednesday evening. I suggested that children who celebrate this holiday finish their math homework earlier in the week. However, I do not want the packet to get in the way of people honoring the holiday. So, if this is an issue, please let me know.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
I am From... Poems
Proud poets in 221 have begun "I am from..." poems. These poems will give children the chance to share who they are. We all have different experiences, memories, and traditions that make us who we are. Each person's is different. It can depend on our culture, our religion, the color of our skin, where we grew up, or just the personalities of our family members. Ask your child about their poem. Ask them to share about their experience trying to think of what to share. You can even share your own special memories from your own childhood. Maybe even challenge yourself to write a poem.
Tuesday we got ready to brainstorm what might go in our own poems. (You may have seen planning sheets come home.) I shared with the children the kinds of things that might go in my poem. We thought about: items found around our homes, items found in our yards, items found in the neighborhoods, names of special relatives, sayings, or names of special foods and dishes. Today, added details to many of their original ideas. Finally, we will turn our brainstorms into poems. We will add significant and precise details, and pay attention to sound and feeling. Soon they will be hung on the wall. We'll also post them to the internet for all to enjoy!
Tuesday we got ready to brainstorm what might go in our own poems. (You may have seen planning sheets come home.) I shared with the children the kinds of things that might go in my poem. We thought about: items found around our homes, items found in our yards, items found in the neighborhoods, names of special relatives, sayings, or names of special foods and dishes. Today, added details to many of their original ideas. Finally, we will turn our brainstorms into poems. We will add significant and precise details, and pay attention to sound and feeling. Soon they will be hung on the wall. We'll also post them to the internet for all to enjoy!
Word Clouds
Mrs. Martell helped us create word clouds to put in our Writer's Notebooks. Click here to check out the digital versions. Thanks to Allan Budd for helping out in the computer lab!
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Assignment Notebook
Today was an exciting day in third grade! The children received their assignment notebooks. This is a big jump in terms of their responsibility. Each day, children should fill out their assignment notebook with that day's assignment. (It will be posted on the smartboard for them to copy.) When they return home in the afternoon, they should open to the correct page (it will be marked with a sticky note so it's easy to keep track). They should read their assignment notebook before completing any homework. They can stay organized by checking off each assignment as it is completed.
We also talked about being responsible about returning the assignment notebook each day. I suggested to the kids that they should put their assignment notebook in their backpack immediately after completing their homework. At the same time, they should put their homework back in their folder and their folder in their backpack. That way, the next morning they will be ready to go!
Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns regarding the assignment notebook.
We also talked about being responsible about returning the assignment notebook each day. I suggested to the kids that they should put their assignment notebook in their backpack immediately after completing their homework. At the same time, they should put their homework back in their folder and their folder in their backpack. That way, the next morning they will be ready to go!
Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns regarding the assignment notebook.
Drums
Music education opens doors that help children pass from school into the world around them - a world of work, culture, intellectual activity, and human involvement. The future of our nation depends on providing our children with a complete education that includes music."
-Gerald Ford, former U.S. President
The Eliot School is incredibly lucky to have a class set of African drums! Each Tuesday morning Room 221 will participate in a drumming circle. This is another wonderful opportunity for us to build community, develop our musical intelligence and have fun!
This morning the children experimented with different sounds and rhythms. Each child shared a rhythm with their name. Finally, we chose a few rhythms to try out as a whole class.
Ask your child:
*To recreate their rhythm
*Where the sound of the drums comes from
*Why we need to hold the drums off the ground
-Gerald Ford, former U.S. President
The Eliot School is incredibly lucky to have a class set of African drums! Each Tuesday morning Room 221 will participate in a drumming circle. This is another wonderful opportunity for us to build community, develop our musical intelligence and have fun!
This morning the children experimented with different sounds and rhythms. Each child shared a rhythm with their name. Finally, we chose a few rhythms to try out as a whole class.
Ask your child:
*To recreate their rhythm
*Where the sound of the drums comes from
*Why we need to hold the drums off the ground
Friday, September 16, 2011
Classroom Rules
Yesterday we created out classroom rules. We discussed ways our community should act so that everyone can reach their hopes and dreams. First, we brainstormed many different rules - we had 20 or 30. We realized however, that we wouldn't be able to remember them all! So we found connections and similarities in our list, and narrowed it down to 4 rules that we can all remember. The rules are:
Respect everyone and everything.
Be safe.
Always try your best.
Have fun!
This afternoon children worked in pairs to show what it looks like to follow each of the rules. We will role play and practice following these rules together so that everyone can achieve their third grade hopes and dreams.
Respect everyone and everything.
Be safe.
Always try your best.
Have fun!
This afternoon children worked in pairs to show what it looks like to follow each of the rules. We will role play and practice following these rules together so that everyone can achieve their third grade hopes and dreams.
Website
Please take a peek at our classroom website. I hope the resources there will be helpful during your child's third grade experience.
Many of you have asked if the classroom needs anything. Our website has a page for a wish list, but I've copied it here in case you are interested. (Please do not feel obligated.)
*Antibacterial Cleanser - Purell (to help keep our hands clean and our bodies healthy)
*Plants & Flowers (to help keep our classroom beautiful)
*Rocking Chair
*Subscriptions to kids magazines - SI for Kids, National Geographic
Many of you have asked if the classroom needs anything. Our website has a page for a wish list, but I've copied it here in case you are interested. (Please do not feel obligated.)
*Antibacterial Cleanser - Purell (to help keep our hands clean and our bodies healthy)
*Plants & Flowers (to help keep our classroom beautiful)
*Rocking Chair
*Subscriptions to kids magazines - SI for Kids, National Geographic
Curriculum Night
Thank you so much to all who were able to join us last night. It was truly a pleasure meeting and working with all of you. Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions you may have (781-455-0452 x221, melanie_sullivan@needham.k12.ma.us). I look forward to a wonderful year together.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
The First Six Weeks of School
We will be spending a lot of time during the first six weeks of school spelling out expectations, articulating rules and establishing predictable structures.
1. The children are participating in guided discoveries. In a guided discovery children discuss, explore and practice the use of classroom materials so that they can take care of the materials and each other. They role play what we can do when something goes wrong, or when another child wants to share.
2. Yesterday, the children chose a hope and dream for third grade. Each child will share their dream with the rest of the community. We will use these hopes and dreams as the basis for classroom rules. The discussion will begin with the question - “What rules do we need to have in our classroom so that everyone is able to fulfill their hopes and dreams this year?”
3. We are practicing, practicing, practicing all of the expectations. We practice lining up quietly, using quiet voices while working and even hanging up our backpacks in the cubbies. (**So far so good! The children have been fantastic and respectful. I am constantly amazed by them.)
4. I will be teaching recess. This may sound strange to you, but it's very important. The purpose of recess is for all children to have fun. We have been playing games together as a community. We model and practice what it looks like to be sure everyone has fun and is safe.
5. Most importantly, we are getting to know one another. We are all special and unique and we have begun sharing small pieces of ourselves with one another.
***We put a strong focus on all of these activities so that we can continue to have an
orderly, cooperative and stimulating learning environment where children feel ownership and safety.
1. The children are participating in guided discoveries. In a guided discovery children discuss, explore and practice the use of classroom materials so that they can take care of the materials and each other. They role play what we can do when something goes wrong, or when another child wants to share.
2. Yesterday, the children chose a hope and dream for third grade. Each child will share their dream with the rest of the community. We will use these hopes and dreams as the basis for classroom rules. The discussion will begin with the question - “What rules do we need to have in our classroom so that everyone is able to fulfill their hopes and dreams this year?”
3. We are practicing, practicing, practicing all of the expectations. We practice lining up quietly, using quiet voices while working and even hanging up our backpacks in the cubbies. (**So far so good! The children have been fantastic and respectful. I am constantly amazed by them.)
4. I will be teaching recess. This may sound strange to you, but it's very important. The purpose of recess is for all children to have fun. We have been playing games together as a community. We model and practice what it looks like to be sure everyone has fun and is safe.
5. Most importantly, we are getting to know one another. We are all special and unique and we have begun sharing small pieces of ourselves with one another.
***We put a strong focus on all of these activities so that we can continue to have an
orderly, cooperative and stimulating learning environment where children feel ownership and safety.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Third Grade!
We have successfully completed our first days of third grade! I have to tell you that your children are amazing! They worked very hard today as they began to learn routines and expectations. They have been incredibly respectful.
This morning we had a "person" scavenger hunt. The children walked around the room looking for people that fit a certain description. For example, they were challenged to find someone who ate toast for breakfast this morning. They also tried to find someone who was born in another state. Through this activity they were able to learn that we are very similar in some ways, but very different in others. Ask your child what they learned about a new friend.
I look forward to seeing everyone on Monday!
This morning we had a "person" scavenger hunt. The children walked around the room looking for people that fit a certain description. For example, they were challenged to find someone who ate toast for breakfast this morning. They also tried to find someone who was born in another state. Through this activity they were able to learn that we are very similar in some ways, but very different in others. Ask your child what they learned about a new friend.
I look forward to seeing everyone on Monday!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
